Laser Printer Repair Technician What They Do

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Laser printer repair technicians fix laser printers when the finicky office
machines break down. They install equipment, do preventive maintenance and
correct problems. Some printer repairers service other office equipment. They
make cable and wiring connections when installing equipment and work closely
with electricians who install the wiring.

Laser printers use laser beams to produce an image with very fine dots.
They create very detailed images, either text or pictures, with a print quality
similar to the offset printing used to produce books and magazines.

"Learn before you start repairing," says Bob Adzima, a repair technician
in Boyertown, Pennsylvania. "Learn enough to understand what the printer does
and how it works. There are thousands of models of printers out there, but
the concept is the same in all of them."

If you apply yourself, the basics of laser printers can be learned quickly,
says Mitch Pilchuk, a repair tech with his own business in Virginia. "If you're
interested, one weekend -- 16 hours worth of intensive training and workshops
-- can get you started. You certainly won't be a jack of all trades, but you'll
know the basics of laser technology."

Good eyesight and color vision are needed to inspect and work on small,
delicate parts.

Because field repairers usually handle jobs alone, they must be able to
work without close supervision. A pleasant personality, neat appearance and
good communications skills are important.

Adzima puts in as many hours as necessary to get the job done. "I can have
eight-hour days with a 40-hour week or I can work for 12 to 14 hours in a
day."